While serving as thirty-ninth president of the United States, Jimmy Carter confessed that he had looked on many women with lust, committing adultery in his heart. On one hand, Carter knew what His Lord says about this common failure among men: “Whoever looks at a woman to lust for her has already committed adultery with her in his heart” (Matthew 5:28). On the other hand, this born-again, Bible-teaching president also knew a vow of the righteous Job: “I have made a covenant with my eyes; why then should I look upon a young woman?” (Job 31:1). Most likely, he had made a similar pledge at least once in his life. Most of us who set out to follow Jesus may find ourselves closer to Jimmy’s earthy failures than to Job’s lofty restraint. Unchecked, our natural instincts can spiral into various addictive and oppressive behaviors, like pornography. Let’s learn more. Sex and society God created sex and called it good. He created the feminine figure and gave men eyes to see and admire. He made the masculine physique and persona, and gave women desire for male companionship. God created testosterone and said it is not good for man to be alone. We were engineered as sexual beings, not just for reproductive purposes but also for enriching our lives. No problem! We live in a sex-saturated society — that’s a problem! Our instincts and interests are easily inflamed and misdirected by a culture that cares little for Bible standards of decency and virtue. Alluring sights and sounds are more omnipresent today than ever, but even Job needed to limit his eyes and discipline his mind -- long before the era of photos, computers, and mass media. We cannot deny the appearance or appeal of a sexually charged scene, for then we must either be neutered or go out of the world. Rather, the lingering look that turns to craving for what does not belong to us — this is lust.
See no evil Given the principle of Jesus, the pledge of Job, and the experience of Jimmy, what is realistic for us in the matter of moral purity for our eyes and minds? Some people may carry false guilt in this matter, and clear thinking can help free them. The Bible confirms that sexual desire and passion are normal human traits. Between a man and his wife, God affirms and blesses the full-bodied expression of love (Genesis 2:24, 25; Proverbs 5:15-19; Song of Solomon; 1 Corinthians 7:1-9). Even beyond matrimony, thoughts with sexual components are not necessarily sinful thoughts. Since Jesus was tempted in all points, He must have experienced His own sexuality as a natural attraction toward the feminine. Never did He entertain this to the point of sinful lust, however. Thus admiration, appreciation, and attraction toward a person of the opposite sex are natural in the human family and may be free of evil intent. Though the interest we feel in persons of opposite gender may be innocent enough, too often we cross that border into the land of lust, as Jesus defined it. Temptation, then, has given way to sin. The key to victory is preparation before the test.
Whatever it takes In this corrupted culture, how can we prepare ourselves to “see no evil”? A severe analogy that our Lord used can teach us more. In the next verse after Matthew 5:28, Christ urges us to ward off lust before it strikes: “If your right eye causes you to sin, pluck it out and cast it from you; for it is more profitable for you that one of your members perish, than for your whole body to be cast into hell” (v. 29). This is not to be understood literally, for sure but may be applied in many other ways: • Pluck out porn from your computer with a good filter; cast from you all lewd and obscene materials; cleanse your home! (Romans 13:14b). • Amputate sexually charged television and movies; instead, integrate the spiritually charged Word (2 Timothy 2:22, for example) to use in times of temptation, as Jesus did. • Cut clear boundaries; avoid all improper appearances in male-female relationships. • Choose a personal accountability partner who will ask hard questions that carve away at your use of pornography. • When your eyes introduce improper thoughts, switch to your heart and to enlightened prayer. Pray for the object of your temptation, her spouse and family, her faith. • For deeper sexual addictions, seek professional spiritual counsel until the chains are broken (see “Resources” sidebar). The “pluck out your eye” counsel of Christ does not endorse self-mutilation but underscores the importance of this topic. Because the wounds of perversion are too painful and the costs of pornography too great, Jesus says, in effect, “Do whatever it takes not to lose this war.”
Purity within reach The most important sexual organ of the body is the mind. We may struggle with impure thoughts even after cleansing our homes and computers, but we will never win the heart-war unless we deal firmly and constantly with external sources that stimulate and stoke our sinful desires. When the battle against lust seems endless and the foe relentless, it will be to our great advantage if we simply confine it to the smallest possible arena: our thoughts. If the war is allowed to overflow the mind into our hands and habits, our reading and viewing, and into our beds, battle casualties will multiply and victory become ever more distant. Try this promise: “Somewhere between asexual blindness, monkish self-denial, and austere seclusion on the one hand and lewd, lecherous, lascivious, licentious porneia on the other, I will walk in integrity before the Lord, my wife, and my family.” Or simplify it like Job: “I will pledge anew not to look upon a woman with evil intent.” Can we can do this? We can. It is our personal responsibility to avoid evil, not to accept it. By faith, we are free to make this good choice. If the Spirit finds us in bondage to our lusts, we will turn to Christ in fresh, fervent repentance and reaffirm His precious forgiveness. We will choose to seek the help we need until we are free in Him to reject the obscenity and pornography that enters our eyes and ears, threatening a sewer of our soul. Today we vow to walk with the Lord in purity. And we will be promise keepers. If our eye offends us, we will do whatever it takes. So help us God.
* * * * * * More on Porn
Sources: Family Safe Media, Senate testimony by Dr. Mary Anne Layden, Nightline, Crosswalk.com, Home Invasion by Rebecca Hagelin, Dr. Mark Laaser, and Focus on the Family
* * * * * * Not Just a Guy Thing Do ladies lust? Many admit that they too are tempted by “sexy” men. Recent stats suggest that a third of visitors to adult Web sites are women and that one in six women struggle with addiction to porn (http://familysafemedia.com). Still, the greater snare for the most women may be as they “package” or expose themselves in a way that attracts the improper attention of men. Jesus’ standard in Matthew 5:28 has this corollary for ladies: “Whoever presents herself with the intent of inciting a man’s lust has committed adultery with him already in her heart.” — BA
* * * * * * Habit of Holiness Most guys notice a direct relation between increased outdoor temperatures and exposed female flesh. We know we ought to look away for purity’s sake and may even memorize verses to deal with the tempting onslaught to our eyes. To begin a new habit, we need a loathing for our old habits of lust. If we have no hatred for what God hates, we have no hope of overcoming. Next, it is vital to make a covenant with our eyes (Job 31:1). This means that we train our eyes to bounce off anything that would entice us to lust: checkout counter magazines or some girl with a low-cut blouse. A third aid in avoiding lustful behavior involves substituting a more rewarding adventure. “Flee the evil desires of youth, and pursue righteousness, faith, love and peace, along with those who call on the Lord out of a pure heart” (2 Timothy 2:22). If God tells us to flee from something, is He trying to take away our pleasure, or does He want to prevent us from painful experiences and a lifetime of regret? This question ought to drive us to our knees, confessing that His way is the best and only way to live. When we get to this point, victory is near. Most are content living in self-created mud huts of sin instead of the penthouse of holiness. Cultivating God’s peace and purity, however, gives greater satisfaction than the quick fix of illicit sexual release. — Eric Swanson
Freedom Begins Here™. This group offers solution to the porn problem through its line of resources, including toolkits for churches and individuals. Each toolkit contains DVD’s and workbooks to help those battling pornography and sexual addictions (www.freedombeginshere.org). Somebody’s Daughter: A Journey to Freedom from Pornography. This DVD/CD multimedia covers the lives of several in ministry who struggled with and overcame addiction. Study guide curriculum is available for individuals, counselors, and churches (www.musicforthesoul.org/).
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